Spring Break 2012!

Ah, sweet homecoming.

I've really needed this break.

So much stress this semester, with school and other things.

Now it's time to kick back, relax, and sit by a pool and sip drinks.

Am I right or am I right?

WRONG.

This is what my home looks like currently.

A downpour of grayness.

Not so cute, and not so warm.

So much for my wonderful tan...

But, good news, this is perfect baking weather!

Therefore, yesterday my kitchen and I were once more reunited.

The product of this love?

Banana Rum Cake!

Super duper simple.

And quite delicious, if I do say so myself.

And I would just like to note, I hate bananas.

We just had a lot in the house...so I was told to use them.

Alcohol knocks out their flavor rather well ;)

 Banana Rum Cake

Adapted from All Recipes

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2/3 cup dark rum
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup mashed bananas

1. Preheat oven to 350 

2. Combine all ingredients in one bowl, mix until smooth.

3. Pour into greased bundt cake pan.

4. Bake for 35-45 minutes.

5. Take it out, let it cool for about five minutes, then remove from pan gently.

Rum Icing

• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/3 cup softened butter
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp dark rum
• 1/4 tsp butter extract (If you want. We did.)

1. Combine sugar and butter.

2. Add in vanilla, rum, and extract.

3. Mix until smooth and super creamy.

4. While cake is just slightly warm, spread over the top and allow icing to ooze down the sides!

5. Top with coconut, or whatever else you think would add to the cake!

Enjoy!

Sidenote: It is delicious warm, but even better when completely cooled!

The rum gives a bit of a zing, but it's diminished when cooler =)

Cupid Candies

Happy Valentine's Day!!

I am the one person today who is single, yet enjoying the holiday extensively!

All of my friends are very 

"Ew single's awareness day"

And

"Ugh this holiday is just so annoying"

Then there is me.

Little miss

"Eek I get to give presents! I love you!!"

Because to me, that's the meaning of this day.

Is to be able to spread love to all of those who touch your heart.

Not to celebrate a relationship or whatnot. 

For me, it's my friends and family.

While I didn't get to do anything for that family which is so far away,

I did make candy for my friends here!

I even made it in my dorm room =)

A feat which I was sure was impossible.

I did it though! Woohoo!

What does this mean to anyone not living in a prison cell of a dorm room?

It means that this is easy.

And takes very little equipment.

Or ingredients.

And to brighten my own Valentine's day?

I went shopping!

I also got a surprise in my mail yesterday...

Chocolate covered strawberries and pretzels from my family!

It was so difficult to try to hide my grin and not look insane on the way back up to my room...

By difficult I definitely mean that I looked like a smiley psycho the whole five flights of stairs!

Now, how bout a good old recipe?

Cupid Candies

AKA Cookies 'n Cream Chex ;)

• About 4 cups Wheat Chex Cereal (You can use corn or rice, I just used wheat because it was the smallest and cheapest!)
• 6 blocks Almond Bark
• 4 Strawberry Cream Filled Cookies (or some normal oreos! I used these for the pink Valentine feeling)
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar

1. Pour your chex into a big bowl. Preferably one with a lid. I approximated four cups, it could be more... you judge by how much you want to make! I only had six blocks of bark, so I had to keep it a little on the small side. 

2. Crush your cookies in a plastic bag. If you have one available, use a rolling pin. If not, go the ghetto dorm way, and stomp on them. Be careful, because your bag may break! They just have to be very fine, mine wasn't as crushed as it should have been, but it still worked out great.

3. Melt your almond bark. Make sure it's in blocks, then put it in for 30 seconds, stir, then about 15 stirring at intervals until creamy. If there are just a few chunks after the third or so interval, just stir until they melt! Chemistry proves that it will work...I promise! You just want it to be velvety, not over heated and chalky.

4. Pour your creamy almond bark over your cereal, and mix it all together. Make sure you coat all of them! Also, be gentle, because the cereal will crumble and you won't have full pieces.

5. Add the powdered sugar and crushed cookie pieces. Put the top on and make sure it's secure! Now shake   shake shake, shake shake shake, shake your chex mix! Shake your chex mix!

Sidenote: If you don't have a top for your bowl, put the sugar and cookie crumbs in a gallon sized ziploc, then add your coated cereal. Mix it up in there and you will be all set!

6. Share the love, or keep it all to yourself! 

Makes about 4 cups of candy!

Breakfast of Champions Pt 3

Ah, the last breakfast from home.

Other than these three, I live off of Special K and oatmeal.

And the eggs in the cafeteria downstairs.

Which are remarkably delicious on weekend mornings...

Not nasty. It shocks me every time.

I mean, weekend mornings don't have the highest standards though.

Weekday mornings?

They set the bar high.

I need my energy for never ending sciences!

So homemade delicacies are key.

Now for these muffins.

The real recipe calls for carrot, but the zucchini is actually a lot better.

It makes the muffin more moist and scrumptious!

Oh, and before I got a picture...

I ate the muffins!

If you look very closely, though, there is a Z on the tinfoil.

That's so that when I look in my freezer, I know what muffin I'm getting.

My mommy is so considerate ;)

Zucchini Muffins

• 1 cup grated zucchini (or carrots if zucchini is too weird)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 tbsp wheat germ (can be omitted)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Mix zucchini, flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Set it aside.

2. Beat buttermilk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla together in a second bowl.

3. Add liquid to dry ingredients and stir until moistened.

4. Bake in greased muffin tins at 400 for 20 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins!

Breakfast of Champions Pt 2

These are just sent from above.

Fluffy, and they defreeze just as delicious!

Which is really high up on the list of importance in my current situation.

They also go just wonderful with my blueberry coffee ;)

This past week though, everything has gone well with a lot of Aleve. 

And ibuprophen.

And tylenol.

Because from Sunday-Wednesday, I was down.

Head in a cloud, body in a constant ache.

And my mood?

Sour isn't even the right word!

I was the little black rain cloud of the century.

It probably didn't help my chemistry test that was on Tuesday...

Good thing my professor drops one!

Now that I am back in the game, things are looking a whole lot better!

Valentines day is this week -duh-

And my date is Tess!

Because I don't have a real date...but that's ok.

We will be going out to dinner on Thursday to an Italian restaurant!

Why Thursday?

Because we have homework. All the time.

And quizzes and exams.

And I am now taking three ballet classes a week! 

Overall, we are a little swamped =)

But hey! It's the good life man!

I have also found out something to make my chemistry homework near bearable.

Watch Disney at the same time :)

Sidenote: I would be giving a recipe for these waffle-y delicacies.

But there isn't one.

It was a "hey I think coconut would be fun!"

"Maybe orange too?"

And that is how they came to be ;)

Breakfast of Champions Pt 1

Thanks to my mommy,

And her wonderful care packages.

I have breakfast in my early classes!

And therefore,

Am much less rushed =)

I freeze these muffins, and the other breakfast items you'll see later.

Then, the night before I need them, I take them out to thaw.

It's a wonderful system, and keeps me at full learning capacity ;)

Also, my delicious blueberry coffee doesn't hurt.

It may sound weird, but it's soooo sooo soo tasty.

Especially in my Lady Gaga mug!

I die without breakfast.

Grumpy, lightheaded, 

Pretty much acting like I'm on some crazy drugs.

That's me with hunger.

Not too helpful at school.

Or in any life situation, for that matter.

It's the most important meal of the day,

So why not make it tasty?

Raisin Bran Muffins

From Roger's Wheat Bran

• 1 1/2 cup wheat bran
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Mix bran and buttermilk, let stand
3. Combine oil, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add to bran/ buttermilk mixture.
4. Stir together flour, soda, powder, and salt.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until just combined.
6. Fold in raisins.
7. Bake in greased muffin tins for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden and bounce back to a light touch!

Oh and just so you don't forget,

Along with beginning the day right,

You need to end it right too ;)

I'm Baaaaack!

With a brand new schedule,

A (partially) brand new wardrobe,

A...revised...perspective,

And a brand new haircut!

Melting Pot dinner =)

This semester is going to be interesting.

It's going to be fun,

Without a doubt.

Because who wouldn't have fun here?

It is college after all!

But it's also going to be a challenge.

15 hours of classes, all sciences.

Two labs.

Just icky icky icky. It's a good thing I'm interested in this whole nutrition thing.

Right?

The good news is that I have all but one lab with my friend Jessica!

Which means a study buddy, a class buddy, and a lunch buddy!

We were quite surprised when we realized that =)

So far, I've been getting back into the routine.

The weekend breakfasts...

Fruit, coffee, and eggs. Breakfast of champions.

The roommate thing.

Man, privacy was quite nice...

Quite.

And of course, getting back with my babygirl ;)

ToyJoy glasses!

That girl and I now have an apartment for next year!

Wooohooooo!!! 

Excited doesn't even describe the feeling =)

I can't wait to ditch dorm life...

Dorm food...

And especially that dorm bathroom!

Just this one more semester...

That's all =)

Since coming back, I've also gone back to one of my favorite things...

Sampling ice cream from everywhere!

ToyJoy Vegan Vanilla!

Oh, it sure does feel good to be back.

Don't get me wrong though...
I still miss my mommy ;)

It's Good For You

To enjoy the little things.

To be with people you love.

To do the things that make you happy.

It's also good for you, though,

To do the things that you despise.

To be around people you don't adore.

To have to push through the irritation.

To have to endure a wait.

To need people that are far away.

To taste things that make you want to spit it straight out.

To royally screw up.

It's good for you.

Because if it weren't for the lesser things in life,

The great,

The beautiful,

The explosively happy,

And the entirely too perfect things.

Would all seem...insignificant.

The bad is there to remind us that good is not only around the corner,

But right in front of us. 

The bad opens our eyes to something that would otherwise be hiding.

As for me,

Over this break I have done all of that.

I have been with those whom I love beyond belief.

Like mother like daughter?

But have also missed the people whom I have realized that I truly need in my life.

Go ahead. Call it a hoemance...

I have worked nonstop, while I'm supposed to be on a "break".

Mhm. I do work with sweet treats. And its still work.

But I have done that work to fuel my outlet, my addiction. 

Which I have gotten to enjoy at my old studio =)

And I have gotten to cook, cook, cook!

It's island time!

Which I can appreciate so much, thanks to the inability to at school.

Just always remember, 

Happy or sad,

Exciting or boring,

Relaxing or stressful,

One of my five from Christmas!

Calypso Sandwich

Adapted from, where else, a Pampered Chef cookbook!

• Sandwich Thins
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp mayo
• 1/4 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/4 red onion, thingly sliced
• 3 thin pineapple slices, patted dry
• 1 oz ham
• 1/2 oz thinly sliced Swiss cheese

1. Mix mustard, honey, and mayo to make dressing.
2. Toast sandwich thin
3. To assemble: Spread half of the dressing on one side, top with pineapple, top that with ham, top that with cheese, and then top that with veggies. Finally, spread the rest of the dressing on the top half.
4. Enjoy your island lunchtime escape! It really is good for you ;)